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Vintage DD turntables. Are we living dangerously?

I have just acquired a 32 year old JVC/Victor TT-101 DD turntable after having its lesser brother, the TT-81 for the last year.
TT-101
This is one of the great DD designs made at a time when the giant Japanese electronics companies like Technics, Denon, JVC/Victor and Pioneer could pour millions of dollars into 'flagship' models to 'enhance' their lower range models which often sold in the millions.
Because of their complexity however.......if they malfunction.....parts are 'unobtanium'....and they often cannot be repaired.
halcro
halcro's avatar
halcro OP
2,289 posts
 
Flieb,
I like your idea of a lead platter mat, but as you've found...I don't know how to maintain a constant thickness with sheet lead?
It is so malleable that you can depress it with your fingertip.....
The only solution I can imagine, would be to laminate it between two sheets of glass or acrylic but then you lose the critical benefit of the lead/platter/vinyl interface...👀

Have you listened to the TT-81 before recapping?

Regards

fleib
1,124 posts
 

Halcro, It seems that it isn't as uneven as it looked. With a raised edge or 2  going around every rotation it looks like a warped LP.  Lead isn't that malleable,.  It's bendable but tends to stay where you leave it. Your fingers won't leave a depression. The tedious part is cutting to size and using a calipers-flattening and going back and forth.  A machine shop should be able to make short work of it.  You could cast it, but it seems like too much trouble?  BTW, wear gloves. I think I forgot.....

Haven't listened to the 81 yet. My tech has been super busy and it's just going out. I didn't buy a plinth..... I also want to recap my AHT and a couple more tables.  

Also, using a laser tach for speed check. It says 33.3 go figure.

Regards, 

rwwear
2,692 posts
 
I suggest laminating the lead to a thin sheet of aluminum using contact cement or epoxy. Use a roller to flatten them. I don't think it's a good idea to have exposed lead that can come in contact with the platter or your skin.
fleib
1,124 posts
 

Not a good idea to be touching the lead, especially with little cuts on your fingers.  Wear rubber gloves at the least. If you're cutting the lead with a tin snip you have to be careful of sharp edges etc.

Laminating to AL makes no sense to me. Most of the platters are already AL  We have approx. 6mm total thickness to work with. Depending on the table, motor torque etc. I want it all lead + leather. 

Contact cement is no good here. It's too thick and uneven.  The top surface can be painted, varnished or whatever, but it's the interface with the platter that makes all the difference. 

Dizzy Gillespie for President.

lewm
6,770 posts
 
On the safety of a lead platter.  The Walker Audio tt uses a solid lead platter.  They coat it with something that both imparts a nice black shiny smooth finish and probably makes it safe to handle. One might inquire with Walker Audio how they do that. Just a thought.  Also, Fleib, wash hands before eating.

My other question about a lead platter is how do you assure that it maintains its shape around the spindle, were fit is critical to keeping the platter level?  I don't know what Walker does; perhaps in their case the spindle is cast into the platter as one piece.
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